Grain weigher and conveyer spout



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

V. WEBER & J. R. HARRISON. GRAIN WEIGHEP. AND GONVEYER sPoUT.

No. 520,382. Patented May 22,1894.`

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-,Sheet 2.

V. WEBER & J. R. HARRISON. GRAIN WEIGHER AND GONVBYBR sPoUT.

No. 520,382. Patented May 22,1894.

fri-54j- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VALENTIN WEBER, OF PRINOEVILLE, AND JAMES R. HARRISON, OF PEORIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM HARRISON, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

GRAIN WEIGHER AND CONVEYER SPOUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,382, dated May 22, 1894.

Application filed January 6, 1893. Serial No. 457.492. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, VALENTIN WEBER, residing at Princeville, and JAMES R. HAR- RISON, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain Weighers and Conveyer Spouts, of which the following is a specification.

Our present invention relates to improvements in that type of automatic grain weighers in which the grain receiver or hopper is suspended on a poised graduated scale-beam, between the grain discharging spout of a continuously operating grain elevating mechanism, and a conveyer spout which receives the charges of grain from the receiveror hopper and delivers the grain to a wagon or other receptacle, and in which the rising and falling movements ofthe receiver or hopper actuate the mechanism for tripping into action the devices for opening and closing the cut off valve of the elevator discharging spout, and the valve which opens and closes the discharge opening of the hopper.

Ourinvention hasforitsmainobject theproduction ofan efcientautomatic grain weigher of the class hereinbefore recited, and with an improved and extremely sensitive trip mech anism and improved means for transmitting motion from the intermittently revolved tripping pawl carrier plate to the valves of thehopper discharge and elevator discharge or hopper feeding spout; whereby the operations of the trip mechanism will be rendered certain, and the operations of said valves positive, the grain weighing more accurate, efiicient and certain, andthe device structurally strong and durable, and economic of manufacture; and as a further object the production of an efficient, adjustable conveyer spout adapted to receive the charges of grain from a hopper and deliver it in different directions and at different elevations.

With these ends in view our invention consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and combinations of parts as willbe hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Mechanism embodying the constructive forms of, and showing the mutual relationship and combination of the parts forming the subject matter of our improvements is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the upper part of an elevator trunk,a delivering spout, and intermediary Weighing mechanism em'- bodying our improvements; Fig. 2, an elevation of the same parts as Fig. 1, but shown in 6o differentrelative positions from what shown at Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a top plan of the elevator and Weighing mechanism or device with the operating parts.in same relative positions as shown at Fig. 2 Fig. 4, a detail, an enlarged 65 side elevation of the trip mechanism, partly broken away, with the operating parts in same relative positions as shown at Fig. l; Fig. 5, a detail, an enlarged side elevation of part of the trip mechanism shown at Fig. 4, 7o but seen from its opposite side to that shown at Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a detail, an enlarged rear side elevation of the intermittingly rotated crank arm, and trip carrying plate; Fig. 7, an enlarged top plan of the parts shown at Fig. et in same relative positions as shown at said gure; Fig. S, an enlarged elevation of part of the hopper, and the plate with which the elbow-shaped detent lever engages; Fig. 9, an enlarged top plan of the parts shown at 8o Figs. i and 7 but in same relative position as shown at Fig. 2. y

The construction and relative arrangement of the parts of our improvement, and the adjacent parts of a general machine in which said improvements may be incorporated, are as follows:

The upper part of au elevator A is shown in the drawings, of that type or class in which the trunk A is divided into two tubes a, a 9o in one of which a, the elevator chain a2 ascends, and in the other a of which it descends, and in which the iiights 0,3 discharge their contents through a discharge spout a4, as they pass off the sprocket wheel a5 over which 95 they are carried by the chain a2. The elevator chain, flights, and sprocket wheel referred to above are shown by dotted lines. The shaft of the sprocket wheel a5 extends through the elevator casing and carries a belt pulley roo c6 on one end (see Fig. 3), and a sprocket Wheel a'on its other end. The sprocket wheel ai is geared by a sprocket ychain as with another sprocket wheel ci in such manner that the sprocket wheel of runs continuously with the elevating mechanism, and which elevating mechanism while in operation discharges a continuous ow of grain or other material into the discharge spout a4. The drive pulley a6 gears with and is driven by any suitable part of a grain separator or other device for delivering grain to the elevator.

The elevator shown, and hereinbefore described is an ordinary construction, but in so far as our invention is concerned any construction of elevator may be used having a discharge spout below which a hopper can be Suspended and in which a Wheel can be operated by the elevating mechanism, for operating the trip mechanism by means of which the valves of the discharge spout and of the hopper are swung to open and close the discharge openings of said parts as hereinafter described. The hopper B is also of an ordinary construction and is poised at b on the two arms c of a graduated scale beam C, which is itself in turn, poised at c2 on the elevator, and is provided with a sliding weight c3 which can be adjusted on the scale beam to counterbalance the hopper when charged with the quantity of different kinds of grain orother articles which it is desired that each charge of the hopper should contain. 'lhis method of suspending the hopper below the discharge opening of the elevator, on a poised and graduated scale beam in such manner that it can have a limited rising and falling movement, while at the same time held in an upright position and guided in an approximately vertical path, by link rods b', and by its hinged connection with the scale-beam, is also common and well known.

The pinion a9 is fixed on a shaft d10 the outer end of which projects beyond the pinion a9 and has fixed theretoa ratchet wheel D which rotates continuously with the sprocket wheel a9. The intermittingly revolving plate E is mounted loosely on the outer end of the shaft d10 exterior to the ratchet wheel D, and a tripping pawl G is pivoted at e to the side of the plate E confronting the ratchet wheel D. A spring g coiled at its midlength part on a stud g which projects from the plate E,rests with one end g2 upon a projection g3 from said plate, and with its other end g4 upon a stud g5 which projects from the tripping pawl G in such manner that the spring tends to force the end g of the tripping pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel D, while permitting its disengagement therefrom, as hereinafter described. Vhile the end g6 of the tripping pawl is engaged with the ratchet wheel D the tripping pawl and the plate E will be continuously revolved with the rotations of the pinion ofand ratchet wheel D, until the extended end 97 of the tripping pawl comes, as hereinafter described, in contact with the antifriction roller hin the vertical end 7L of a bell crank detent lever H, the other end h2 of which detent lever extends into a sloti in the plate I which is fixed to the side of the hopper B. The detent lever H is pivoted at 71,3, at its bend, to the side of the elevator trunk A, and in such position with reference to the tripping pawl G and hopper B that when the hopper is in its elevated or'higher position,as shown by full lines at Fig. l, the detent lever H will be in the position shown best at Fig. l, by full lines, and in such position that the roller h will be in the path of the end Q7 of the tripping pawl as it revolves, and hence said end g7 of the tripping pawl will come in contact with the roller h when the hopper is in its elevated positionand the pawl end Q6 be thereby forced out of contact with the ratchet wheel D and against =a stud pin e which projects from the plate E. Thilo the pawl G is thus released from the ratchet wheel D, and held by the detent lever H and the pin e', it will hold and prevent the plate E revolving with the ratchet wheel D and pinion a9.

The hopper in dropping to its lower position, shown by dot lines at Fig. l will tilt or turn the detent lever H into the position shown by dot lines at same figure, and the end Q7 of the tripping pawl be thereby released from the detent, or detaining lever H, when the tripping pawl then being free will be thrown into contact with the ratchet wheel D, by the spring g, and the plate E and spring pawl then be revolved with the pinion ai as hereinbefore described.

A rock-shaft 7c extends across and is journaled in the sides of the hopper B, and has fixed to each of its extended ends 7s', the one end of an arm k2, the other ends of which arms 7a2 have fixed thereto, a delivery valve K, which swings with the arms k2 in one direction to close, and in an opposite direction to open the orifice b2 through which the charges of grain are discharged from the hopper and delivered to the conveyer. A crank arm 7c3 as shown is fixed to-and projects from the rock shaft 7c, which may be substituted if preferred by an extension of one of the arms 7a2. A connecting rod 7a4 is pivotally connected at one of its ends with the outer, or upper end of the crank-arm 7e3, and -at its other end with a crank pin c3011 the plate E, so that the revolutions of the crank pin e3 with the plate E will swing the arm 7c3 outwardly and thereby swing the valve K inwardly or toward the elevator trunk, to close the orifice b2 as shown at Fig. l, and swing the arm 7a3 in an opposite direction or toward the elevator trunk, and thereby swing the valve K outwardly, to the position shown at Fig. 2, to uncover or open the orifice b2. The valve L, is fixed to the lower ends of thearrns Z, the upper ends of which arepivoted at Z to the sides of the spout a4,in such manner that this valve can be swung into the position shown at Fig. 2, to cover or close the open lower end of the spout a4, and swung into the position shown by full lines at Fig. l to open or uncover the end of said spout.` A

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connecting rod Z2 is pivoted at m at one of its ends to one of the arms Zand at its other end to the crank pin c3 with which the connecting rod 104 is pivotally connected. The connecting rod 7a4 being, as it is, connected with the arm 7a2 on the opposite side of the axis of oscillation of the valve K from said valve, and the connecting rod Z2 being, as it is, connected with an arm Z on the same side of the axis of oscillation as is the valve L, and both connecting rods h4 and Z2 being operated by the same crank pin, the valve K will be swung in a direction to cover the orifice b2, while the valve L is swung to uncover the discharge opening of the spout a4 and vice versa. rlhis arrangement of the plate E and its crank pin e3, the connecting rod Z2 pivoted to the arm Z between the valve L and its axis of oscillation, and connecting rod h4 pivoted to an arm beyond the axis of oscillation of the valve K, is such that said connecting rods are brought into most effective positions, and further into such combinations with said valves and with the plate E and its crank pin e3 that both valves are swung outwardly from the elevator to uncover the openings or oriiices which orifices they close when swung in an opposite direction, and the location of the connecting rods 7a4, and Z2, is such, to gether with the fact of the valve Klswinging outwardly from the elevator trunk, that these parts are out of the way so as not to interfere with the falling movements of the hopper B, with a conveyer hopper below said hopper B. A pivot bolt m fixed to one of the bars Z passes through a slot m in the connecting rod Z2 to form the pivotal connection between said parts. A tension spring m2 is connected at one end to the spout a4 and at its other end to one of the bars Z in such manner that it tends to draw the valve L toward its closed position.

In further describing the complete operations of the weigher, we will assume that the operative parts in their operations have assumed the relative positions shown at Fig. l, with the end g of the tripping pawl G resting on the roller h in the end h of the bell crank detent lever H, and thus holding the plate E, rods, Z2, 7a4, and the valves K and L in the positions shown. The grain hopper B being at the same time held in its higher position by the scale lbeam with the weight c3 adjusted thereon to balance the quantity of grain to be weighed or measured. Grain flowing from the now open spout a4 into the hopper B until the weight thereof overbalances the weight c5, will force the hopper downward to its lower position, shown at Fig. 2. In descending, as last de scribed, the hopper will tilt or turn the bell crank detent lever H into the position shown by full lines at Fig. 2, and dot lines at Fig. l, and thereby release the tripping pawl lever G, which will then be thrown by the spring g into engagement with the ratchet wheel D, so as to be carried around in its orbit with the plateE and pinion a9. In passing through that part of its orbit between its position shown at Fig. l, and its position shown at Fig. 2, the crank pin c3 by means of the connecting rod 7a4 will swing the valve K from its closed position shown at Fig. l into 'its open position shown at Fig. 2, so that the charge of grain contained in the hopper B will be discharged into the hopper N of the conveyer spout P. The same movement of the crank pin which closes the valve K as last described, will retract or draw back the connecting rod Z2, and as it is so retracted the spring 'm2 will close the valve L quickly and by the time that the valve K is about one half opened. The further retractile movement of the connecting rod Z2 is permitted without movement of the valve L by the slot` m sliding on the pivot pin m to the position shown at Fig. 2. The discharge of grain from the spout a4 is thus cut off quickly and before the valve K has opened but slightly, so that practically no grain is delivered to the hopper B while grain is being discharged from the hopper. The hopper having discharged its contents will be raised into its higher position by the weight c3, and in so raising will tilt the bell crank H back into its position shown by full lines at Fig. 1, where it will be struck by the end Q7 of the tripping pawl and will arrest its revolution as hereinbefore described; but before the revolution of the tripping pawl is thus arrested, the crank pin in moving through its orbital path from its position shown at Fig. 2, to its position, where arrested, and as shown at Fig. l, will by means of the connecting rod 104 swing the valve K into its closed position, as shown at said figure. The crank pin will at the same time move the connecting rod Z2, but such movement thereof will not act on the valve L until the valve K is about closed, and hence will not permit the discharge of grain into the hopper B while it is open at its lower end. This non-action of the connecting rod Z2 on the valve L arises from the slot m sliding on the pin fm, during the first part of the movement of the rod Z2, but before such movement is completed the end of the slot m will come 'in contact with said pin and the valve L will be swung outwardly to its open position shown at Fig. 1, by the completion of the throw of said connecting rod.

The arm h of the bell crank detent, standing as it does, in a vertical position,while the end g7 of the tripping pawl rests upon it, any force or pressure of the tripping pawl tl1ere on will act on the pivot h3, and not tend, as in ordinary devices ofthe kind, to act irregularly on the hopper, and thus interfere with accurate weighing, and such detent will swing easily, and especially when provided with the antifriction roller, will together with the tripping pawl form a very sensitive trip, which will yield readily and quickly and thus aid in accurate weighing of the grain.

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The conveyer spout P is of ordinary construction having an endless conveyer belt p, grain receiving hopper N, and discharge opening p. The stand Q, or fixed part of the conveyer, consists of a base R, supported by bars o" or by any other frame work mounted on the elevator or any suitable part of a grain separator to which the elevator is fixed for operation. A shaft S journaled to pendants s from the base R, is provided with a pulley s which is geared with any suitable drive pulley (not shown) on the elevator, so as to be operated by and at all times with the grain elevating mechanism of the elevator. A bevel pinion T is mounted on the shaft S, and gears with a bevel pinion t which is carried on a vertical shaft t which carries a pinion t2 on its upper end, and which has suitable bearings in the base R and in aplate Uwhich is located above said base. The plate U can be rotated on the shaft z5 in a horizontal plane, and has vertical standards W, fixed to its diamctrically opposite sides. The adjustable and readily removable part of the conve'yer, consists of the spout P, with its hopper N, and conveyer belt,p, and a shaft Y, which is journaled in slots w in the upper ends of the standards W, and has fixed to one of its outer ends a pinion y which gears with the bevel pinion t. The shaft Y extends through the spout P and carries the sprocket wheel p2 on which the belt p is carried at one end of the conveyer spout. The spout P has a bar p5 xed to one of its sides which bar is provided with a bearing for the outer end of the shaft Y.

The spout P can be swung around to deliver grain in different directions from the elevator, by swinging it with its base plate U on the shaft t', and in all of such adjustments the pinion y Will remain in gear with, to be operated by the pinion t2. The spout P can also beraised and lowered at its discharge end to deliver grain at dierent elevations as may be desired, by swinging it on or with the shaft Y in its bearings, as indicated by dot lines at Fig. l.

The hopperB, intermediary or interlocated between the discharge spout of the elevator and the hopper N, is immediately over the hopper N of the conveyer spout P in all adj ustments of said spout, so that grain will be delivered to the hopper N when the spout P is in any positionof its various adjustments.

As shown, the weigher and delivery spout P are mounted on an elevator of that class which stands in a vertical position, and in which the weigher necessarily is closer to the elevator trunk than when used on an inclined trunk,and hence valve operating mechanism which is in or about in the same plane as the lower end of the hopper B cannot` be used with the vertical elevator trunk.

Having thus described our invention, what elevator, ahopper suspended on a poised scale beam, a valve for the discharge spout of the elevator, and a valve for the bottom of the hopper, of a plate, means for intermittingly revolving said plate by intergear with a rotary shaft operated by the elevator, connecting rods both pivotally connected at one end to a crank pin on said plate, one of said rods slotted at its other end where it receives a pivot pin on the carrying arm of the spout valve between said valve and its axis of oscillation, and the other rod pivotally connected at its other end to the outer end of an arm which extends from the hopper valve to and beyond its axis of oscillation, whereby said valves are both operated by said intermittingly revolving plate.

2. In agrain weigher, the combination substantially as hereinbefore described, with an elevator, a hopper suspended on a poised scale beam, a valve for the discharge spout of the elevator, a retracting spring, and a valve for the bottom of the hopper, of a plate, means for intermittingly revolving said plate, by intergear with a rotary shaft operated by the elevator, connecting rods both pivotally connected at one end to a crank pin on said plate, one of said rods slotted at its other end where it receives a pivot pin on the carrying arm of the spout valve between said valve and its axis of oscillation, and the other rod pivotally conneced at its other end to the outer end of an arm which extends from the hopper valve to and beyond its axis of oscillation, whereby said valves are both operated bv said intermittingly revolving plate. u

3. In a grain weigher, and in combination substantially as hereinbefore described, with an elevator, and a hopper suspended on a poised scale beam, a valve for the discharge spout of the elevator, and a valve for the bottom of the hopper, a plate E carrying acrank pin E3, rods pivotally connecting said crank pin with said valves, the valve retracting spring m2, the spring actuated tripping pawl lever, and ratchet wheel D, and the bell crank detent I-I arranged with its arm h in a vertical position.

4. In a grain weigher, and in combination substantially as hereinbefore described, with an elevator, and a hopper suspended on a poised scale beam, a valve for the discharge spout of the elevator, and a valve for the bottom of the hopper, a plateE carryingacrank pin e3, rods pivotally connecting said crank pin with said valves, the valve reti-acting spring m2, the spring actuated tripping pawl lever and ratchet Wheel D, and the bell crank detent H, arranged with its arm h in a vertical position and provided with an anti-friction roller for the purpose specified.

5. In a grain weigher, in combination with an elevator and a hopper suspended on a poised scale beam, valve K, arm 7a3, rockshaft 7o, valve L, arm Z, spring m2, connectinF rod Z2, having a slot m pivotedon pin m, be crank detent Il, spring actuated tripping ICO IIO

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pawl G, plate E With crank pin e3, ratchet Wheel D, and pinion 0.9 all arranged to operate substantially as described.

6. In a grain Weigher, and in combination substantially as hereinbefore described, with an elevator and a hopper suspended on a poised scale beam, a swinging valve K, arm 7c3, connecting rod [fc4 pivotally connected With arm 7c3, swinging valve L, spring 'm2, connecting rod Z2 having a slot m', pivotally connected through said slot and pin m With the valve arln Z, and an intermittingly revolving plate E with a crank pin with which the connecting rods Z2, and 7a4 are pivotally connected, substantially as described.

7. A grain conveyer, comprising in its structure a flxed base part comprising a base directly above the hopper N substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof We affix oursignatures in presence of two Witnesses.

VALENTIN WEBER. JAMES R. HARRISON.

Witnesses:

CEAS. HULTGREN, I-I. M. RICHARDS. 

